May 23rd
by Pansychic27213
Summary: [Sander’s Sides] The internal workings of the ‘Reacting to Horror Games’ video, through Thomas’s mind.


**A/N: This is my interpretation of Thomas's internal reaction to the horror games, based on his facial expressions and what we know of the Sides. Enjoy the angst!**

May 23rd

Have you ever felt the sharp wave of rising nausea that comes from anxiety and terror? If you haven't, be glad. If you have, you're not likely to forget the acidic taste that floods your mouth, the mix of hot and cold that dribbles up your arm and coats you brain in a slimy hazy layer. It's hard to miss the flush of boiling fluids in your stomach, the way your heart pounds harder and harder like it's going to explode out of your chest, the way your lungs constrict and tremble and ache.

All that to say, Thomas was not looking forward to making the 'Reacting to Horror Games' video, and his Sides were well aware of it. Virgil had been restless for days, unfortunately making Thomas lose a bit of sleep, and on the evening they filmed the video, he was a mess. Logan and Roman didn't seem to understand in the same way Patton did, but it didn't even matter because he just _couldn't_ stop pacing!

"I don't understand!" Roman yelled at him before they even turned the cameras on. Virgil flinched back, tucking as much of himself in his hoodie as possible and ducking behind his bangs. He moved away from Roman and purposefully placed himself just slightly behind Patton's confident shoulder. "They're just games! They're not even real!"

"They're scary, okay?" Virgil tried to shout back, but his voice came out raspy and weak, on the edge of distortion. "Thomas doesn't like the horror genre for a reason. Stuff like that freaks me out too; leave me alone!"

"It's like how I have a fear of spiders," Patton comforted. He rubbed the anxious side's shoulder and motioned Roman closer. "In my head I understand there's not much they can do to hurt me, but they still really stress me out! So Roman, even if you're frustrated, you don't need to yell at Virgil. Apologize, please."

"I'm sorry for yelling at you," the prince huffed. "Thomas is all worked up and I get worried."

"Looking at this from a perspective of common trends, as soon as they begin recording the video, Thomas will begin to settle. Acting and entertaining is soothing for him, and he will experience a decrease in anxiety, for the moment." Logan's statement was true enough to ease Roman, and it wasn't long before it proved true as the camera was turned on.

Thomas expressed his anxiety through excess energy, bouncing and giggling through the first two games, but when he found they weren't as scary as he thought, he started to calm down. Then he remembered the third game they had planned, and his nerves were shot again.

"Maybe it's not scary," Patton suggested, rubbing Virgil's shoulders as the side shivered and tugged at his bangs. "Maybe it's frustrating like the other games." Virgil wanted to disagree, but he settled for shaking his head and switching to tapping against his knees. Roman pressed gently against his shoulder, worried more about the anxious side than their creator, now.

The beginning of the game was alright, though tense and jumpy. Virgil cringed away from the graphic imagery, and his shoulders hitched higher and higher with every appearance of the eyeball symbol. But the _kicker_ was the big chase scene through the mirror.

"There's a woman-" he whispered, frozen. "Stop- Don't- No, _don't_ turn around-"

The mirror exploded; the woman burst through the glass, gigantic and mangled. Her hand was transformed into a giant circular saw.

" _Run_ ," he urged emphatically, " **RUN!** "

Their avatar sprinted down the corridor, struggled back the pile of boxes and just turned the corner-

Only to be caught by the monster- They were thrown on the floor- dashed by the chainsaw- cut in half- blood burst and flew- a haze of red- the deadly spray- a huge beast bearing down on them- already cooling- already **dead** -!

"Virgil! Snap out of it!" Roman pleaded. The poor side was wheezing and rocking, having just finished his abrupt scream.

"No more," he pleaded. "I don't want to do anymore. Let's have a sleepover. I don't want to finish-"

But Talyn and Joan wanted to continue.

"Don't pay attention, Virge," Roman insisted, and he covered the smaller side's ears. "I'll work with Thomas for this. I'm the brave one, right?"

Thomas's anxiety transformed into jittery singing and clapping. He urged the avatar to go further and was delighted when they managed to disappear for a little while in between chases. As they reached the final corridor, a hallway of light gaped before them.

"There's someone there," Virgil couldn't help gasping. He tried to get Roman's attention, tugging at his sleeve, but the creative side watched in tortured awe, rapt. "You have to find another way-"

A knife hurtled towards them, connecting with their chest.

"My heart," Roman's vision blurred as tears filled his eyes, clutching his chest. The monster reached for them, grasping and harming.

"Struggle!" Logan demanded, but their reaction time wasn't fast enough.

" ** _NO!_** "

Before Virgil had the thought, he had darted up and spun around, bracing himself over the other sides. His eyes were jammed shut, and his body wracked with tremors as he held the position, arms shaking wildly.

"Virge?" Patton whispered, looking up at their would-be savior. Slowly, Anxiety opened his eyes and seemed to realized what had happened. Still shaking, he pulled back and slid his wavering hands into his pockets. The heart stood and gently wrapped the darker side in a hug, transmitting warmth and gentleness to slow his rattling bones.

"I thought we were going to die," Virgil whispered. "It doesn't make any sense, but I had to protect you-"

"Thank you," Logan cut in, assuring him that his reaction was acceptable. There wasn't a real threat, but this was only further proof of Anxiety's true purpose in protecting Thomas.

"I need a minute," Virgil said, lowering himself back onto the couch.

"Do you need anything?" Roman quickly asked, but Virgil just curled into a small ball and tried to stop shaking.

 **A/N: QUESTION OF THE UPDATE: Do you like horror things? If so, what's your favorite? If not, what's your general opinion (other than that you dislike it)?**


End file.
